Meet Bliss Cavendar, a blue haired, indie-rock loving misfit stuck in the tiny town of Bodeen, Texas.
Her pageant-addicted mother expects her to compete for the coveted Miss Blue Bonnet crown, but Bliss would rather feast on roaches than be subjected to such rhinestone tyranny.
Bliss’ escape? Take up Roller Derby.
When she discovers a league in nearby Austin, Bliss embarks on an epic journey full of hilarious tattooed girls, delicious boys in bands, and a few not-so-awesome realities even the most bad-butt** derby chick has to learn.
(**I had to edit this phrase for language.)
Okay, I have to say it....I LOVE Bliss. She's funny, sarcastic, irreverent (not in a bad way)--she's an edgy chick in an un-edgy world. What punk girl doesn't want to push the envelope, and if you've ever seen Roller Derby--oh my "push" the envelope doesn't begin to describe them! Yet, Bliss is still just a teenage girl with all the emotions and issues.
This is a wonderful choice for reluctant readers. "Outsiders" will grab this one because Bliss is an outsider, too.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Breathe My Name, by R.A. Nelson
I need to see you.
Please come right away.
We have to finish.
Frances Robinson is in high school now. She lives a quiet, suburban life, far from her horrifying past. When she was a child, her birthmother smothered her three sisters. Through pure luck, Frances survived. Now her mother has just been released from prison . . . and she wants to see Frances.
A new boy at school called Nix charms Frances. Together, Nix and Frances embark on a clandestine journey to visit Frances' mother: to confront the monster in its lair. This trip will help Frances at last find peace-or die trying. But no matter what, Frances will discover just what it means to finish.
The intensity of the story line, coupled with a teenager’s real struggle to find herself will grab readers. The characters are well-defined and aren’t static. Even those who aren’t prime players are real and appropriate.
And I just like Frances and Nix. He's good for her when she most needs to have a strong and calming force. She's struggling to find out who she was and what that means to who she is today--and that the two aren't necessarily synonymous.
Please come right away.
We have to finish.
Frances Robinson is in high school now. She lives a quiet, suburban life, far from her horrifying past. When she was a child, her birthmother smothered her three sisters. Through pure luck, Frances survived. Now her mother has just been released from prison . . . and she wants to see Frances.
A new boy at school called Nix charms Frances. Together, Nix and Frances embark on a clandestine journey to visit Frances' mother: to confront the monster in its lair. This trip will help Frances at last find peace-or die trying. But no matter what, Frances will discover just what it means to finish.
The intensity of the story line, coupled with a teenager’s real struggle to find herself will grab readers. The characters are well-defined and aren’t static. Even those who aren’t prime players are real and appropriate.
And I just like Frances and Nix. He's good for her when she most needs to have a strong and calming force. She's struggling to find out who she was and what that means to who she is today--and that the two aren't necessarily synonymous.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Library2Play--Thing #7, AISDCL20 #18
Google Tools and Apps
I love Google. I hate to say it..really, there's a part of me that cringes at the thought of admitting it to you, but I do love Google.
It's because I prefer my students not "google" their research. I'm a librarian, though, and I know how, well...academically dangerous googling can be. So, I push the databases that my campus subscribes to and has available. I tell them that I don't want them to go to Google the first day they're in the library researching for their projects, if it can be avoided. (Because I do realize that sometimes it can't be.) And, then, I teach them how to Google (or use Yahoo, or Dogpile, or MSN Live Search, or whatever.)
But I do suggest GoogleTools to my students. I use Google Notebook for myself at home. Honestly, that was how I started my own "jacked-up" version of an RSS feed. Then I learned about Blogrolling and then Internet Explorer came with a bookmark section just for feeds! WHEEEE! There's too many good things around!
What I really like about the Notebook though is that You can get a screen shot, and can make notes as to why you bothered to clip that info. With my bookmarks, and sometimes the RSS feeds, I go back and wonder what I was thinking when I decided to save that page. I did create a couple of new notebooks, under the guise of the "Mean Old Library Teacher." One is for things I run across while participating in Library2Play. The other is for things I collect to use while serving on the Facilities Committee for the new high school we'll be building. Both will be linked in my sidebar under "Place to go."
I opted to look at Google Scholar for the second part of this discovery activity. Of all the Google apps and tools, this is the only one I felt I had much use for that I hadn't played with yet. I like it pretty well, but feel like I might get more immediate useable information through my databases. Or that I can't print what I've pulled up. It was nice to pull up a book abstract and have it provide places to purchase the title--since not everything can be purchased on Amazon. (ssssshhhh...don't let them hear me say that!) So, while there's pros to using Google Scholar, there are cons. I think I'll stick with my databases for scholarly research.
I love Google. I hate to say it..really, there's a part of me that cringes at the thought of admitting it to you, but I do love Google.
It's because I prefer my students not "google" their research. I'm a librarian, though, and I know how, well...academically dangerous googling can be. So, I push the databases that my campus subscribes to and has available. I tell them that I don't want them to go to Google the first day they're in the library researching for their projects, if it can be avoided. (Because I do realize that sometimes it can't be.) And, then, I teach them how to Google (or use Yahoo, or Dogpile, or MSN Live Search, or whatever.)
But I do suggest GoogleTools to my students. I use Google Notebook for myself at home. Honestly, that was how I started my own "jacked-up" version of an RSS feed. Then I learned about Blogrolling and then Internet Explorer came with a bookmark section just for feeds! WHEEEE! There's too many good things around!
What I really like about the Notebook though is that You can get a screen shot, and can make notes as to why you bothered to clip that info. With my bookmarks, and sometimes the RSS feeds, I go back and wonder what I was thinking when I decided to save that page. I did create a couple of new notebooks, under the guise of the "Mean Old Library Teacher." One is for things I run across while participating in Library2Play. The other is for things I collect to use while serving on the Facilities Committee for the new high school we'll be building. Both will be linked in my sidebar under "Place to go."
I opted to look at Google Scholar for the second part of this discovery activity. Of all the Google apps and tools, this is the only one I felt I had much use for that I hadn't played with yet. I like it pretty well, but feel like I might get more immediate useable information through my databases. Or that I can't print what I've pulled up. It was nice to pull up a book abstract and have it provide places to purchase the title--since not everything can be purchased on Amazon. (ssssshhhh...don't let them hear me say that!) So, while there's pros to using Google Scholar, there are cons. I think I'll stick with my databases for scholarly research.
Library2Play--Thing#6, AISDCL20 #6
Flickr Mashups (and other mashups)
Alrighty, I played all over fd's Flickr Toys over at BigHuge Labs. All kinds of cool things there. No one thing jumped out and really, really caught me. I did have some ideas for several of the applications available, though....
The Motivator...I'm seeing things like the ALA "Read" posters. Our PALs could do posters with some of our local stars for younger students. Or we could just design our own motivational posters, with images from around our school and community.
Movie Poster GREAT idea for marketing for the theater departments productions. Or club activities. I was in charge of the prom a few years ago and our theme was "vintage Hollywood." This would've been perfect!
The Magazine Covers and Trading Cards would be great products for projects--a magazine devoted to "The Pardoner's Tale" from Canterbury Tales. Trading cards for our health classes' self-help organization research projects. This could be a lot of fun. Even trading cards for our school organizations and athletic teams.
The Palette Generator for use in art classes and our web design/production class. Even some of our other vocational classes, like the apparel class.
Oh..and then...combine Mappr with Google LitTrips. Honestly, I love Google LitTrips--getting to "travel" to all the places in a story or novel, making it come alive. But you could do the same thing, on a smaller scale with Mappr. OR, combine it with the trading cards application or postcards application and create a "notebook" (or "set") for your studies.
The possibilities are bound only by what we're willing to try. I've got to email that Health teacher about his project now.
Alrighty, I played all over fd's Flickr Toys over at BigHuge Labs. All kinds of cool things there. No one thing jumped out and really, really caught me. I did have some ideas for several of the applications available, though....
The Motivator...I'm seeing things like the ALA "Read" posters. Our PALs could do posters with some of our local stars for younger students. Or we could just design our own motivational posters, with images from around our school and community.
Movie Poster GREAT idea for marketing for the theater departments productions. Or club activities. I was in charge of the prom a few years ago and our theme was "vintage Hollywood." This would've been perfect!
The Magazine Covers and Trading Cards would be great products for projects--a magazine devoted to "The Pardoner's Tale" from Canterbury Tales. Trading cards for our health classes' self-help organization research projects. This could be a lot of fun. Even trading cards for our school organizations and athletic teams.
The Palette Generator for use in art classes and our web design/production class. Even some of our other vocational classes, like the apparel class.
Oh..and then...combine Mappr with Google LitTrips. Honestly, I love Google LitTrips--getting to "travel" to all the places in a story or novel, making it come alive. But you could do the same thing, on a smaller scale with Mappr. OR, combine it with the trading cards application or postcards application and create a "notebook" (or "set") for your studies.
The possibilities are bound only by what we're willing to try. I've got to email that Health teacher about his project now.
Library2Play--Thing #5, AISDCL20 #5
Flickr.
I've always used Photobucket for my pictures and things. Honestly, it's what I've used for my personal blogs, both for photos I post and for the design elements I use. (My personal blogs are far more interesting to look at, if only because I've played with them more.) It's user-friendly and compatible with everything I do. And, if I wanted to, I could order a calendar with my photos on it.
But, Flickr, I like. It's easier to use. Tagging takes less time. Uploading takes less time. This could certainly be more beneficial for my work stuff AND for my family stuff. (I just need to convince my boyfriend that Flickr really, really would be easier to use than setting up a MySpace for his family. Ugh.)
I like the group stuff too, everyone can share photos, or not share, or only share with certain groups. Seems SO much easier than what we do now ("here, let me email you these 50 photos 3 at a time"). It's also a neat way to get into social networking. More free-flowing and unstructured than MySpace or Ning.
My Flickr
I've always used Photobucket for my pictures and things. Honestly, it's what I've used for my personal blogs, both for photos I post and for the design elements I use. (My personal blogs are far more interesting to look at, if only because I've played with them more.) It's user-friendly and compatible with everything I do. And, if I wanted to, I could order a calendar with my photos on it.
But, Flickr, I like. It's easier to use. Tagging takes less time. Uploading takes less time. This could certainly be more beneficial for my work stuff AND for my family stuff. (I just need to convince my boyfriend that Flickr really, really would be easier to use than setting up a MySpace for his family. Ugh.)
I like the group stuff too, everyone can share photos, or not share, or only share with certain groups. Seems SO much easier than what we do now ("here, let me email you these 50 photos 3 at a time"). It's also a neat way to get into social networking. More free-flowing and unstructured than MySpace or Ning.
My Flickr
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This work is licensed by Jennifer Turney under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
